High pressure solenoid valves are utilized in applications where high pressure gaseous fuel is either dispensed to or used in a fuel injection system of a vehicle equipped in such manner. Compressed natural gas is becoming a common automotive fuel for commercial fleet vehicles and residential customers. In vehicles, the compressed natural gas is delivered to the engine in precise amounts through gas injectors. The compressed natural gas injector is required to deliver a precise amount of fuel per injection pulse and maintain this accuracy over the life of the injector.
An electromagnetic fuel injector utilizes a solenoid assembly to supply an actuating force to a fuel metering valve. Typically, a plunger-style armature supporting a fuel injector needle reciprocates between a closed position, where the needle is closed to prevent fuel from escaping through the discharge orifice, and a fully open position, where fuel is discharged through the discharge orifice.
When the solenoid is energized, the solenoid armature, and thus the injector needle, is magnetically drawn from the closed position toward the fully open position by a solenoid generated magnetic flux. The flow capacity of such valves and their reliability is critical to the operation of such fuel injectors. A need has arisen for a valve having improved flow capacity and reliability to insure that positive sealing of the valve takes places when the valve is closed.